


The Thanatos Gambit | ThanZag

by OneHellOfAnIero



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Death, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, How Do I Tag, I Tried, Love Confessions, M/M, One Shot, Short & Sweet, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:02:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27785674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneHellOfAnIero/pseuds/OneHellOfAnIero
Summary: "You know what will happen, Zagreus.""I know, Than. If this is the price I have to pay, then so be it."Loving Death comes with a price
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 195





	The Thanatos Gambit | ThanZag

**Author's Note:**

> I got into Hades recently so I thought I'd write something small about the boys! The good old kiss of death trope and all.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

_All praise be yours, my Lord. Physical Death, from whose embrace no mortal can escape_

Elysium's radiant fields were blurred, a veil of red covering them, making them sway in his vision. Zagreus was wavering on his feet, his breath going hard and ragged. He had to escape, somehow. And no matter the cost.

Enemies were crowding him from all corners, Zagreus' eyes scanning every single one of them. Suddenly there was a noise, a flash of silver hair catching Zag's attention. Attention he had better payed to the enemy to his right.

Sharp pain piercing his ribcage, his face distorting as he clenched his eyes shut. The sound of screams echoed in his head and the Pool of Styx claimed the prince once again.

The familiar rumbling of thick blood surrounded him as he gasped, his head slowly emerging out of the red liquid. He could barely move, but then why was he moving?

It took him a moment to notice arms carrying him through the red waters. It was Thanatos, the flash of hair that made him meet his end earlier.

"You should pay more attention while in battle."

"Tch, if it not had been for your distracting entrance, I would have."

He was playing it cool, but there was something off. He did not like to admit it, but he felt weaker than before. Somewhat drained. Did Thanatos do something to him while he was out? Or the Pool of Styx?

"Why did you decide to show up anyway?"

"I was... around."

"Around?" Zagreus chuckled, shaking his head slowly. "You knew I was close to going home again, didn't you?"

Thanatos did not answer as he kept walking up the stairs, stopping at the last steps. He knelt on the blood drenched stone, laying down the prince with an unfruitful attempt to sit him up. His body still too weak.

"You need rest." His voice was a nice melody in Zagreus' ears. Two toned eyes looked up at goldish ones.

"Are you worried about me, Than?"

A different shade of color rose to Thanato's face, which was usually bare of any emotion.

_Usually._

"No. You're just too reckless with yourself."

"So you _are_ worried."

Thanatos' eyes quickly wavered over to the hall. Fortunately there was no one there. Lord Hades especially.

Zagreus grunted, his limbs shaking as he tried to move. There was a moment of regret in the back of Thanatos' mind. If they hadn't met he would not have to deal with these... feelings that tried to overwhelm him everytime they locked eyes.

Maybe all this generosity coming from Zagreus lately really meant something.

"I should get going before anyone catches onto this."

Right. Zag seemed to forget that Thanatos was risking what he had to help him out. But why does he keep helping if he keeps complaining about it afterwards? Sometimes Death made no sense to him.

With a shimmer of blueish green Thanatos disappeared, leaving Zagreus on the steps of Styx, his chest feeling heavy.

"I never really know exactly where I stand with you, Than."

He wanted to tell him. So many times he wanted to confess the feelings he had swimming around in his chest, in his body. Meeting Thanatos out there was something he always looked foward to, a helping hand even though he knew he didn't need one.

Zagreus had come to realise that Thanatos was on his mind all of the time. Somewhere in the back of his head he was always thinking about him, how he was doing and if he was watching him like he constantly said he was.

His voice, his presence, the looks he gave him with those golden eyes. Though his face was mostly expressionless his eyes said so much more and Zagreus wished Thanatos would finally voice them one day. Tell him how he felt and if it truly was the same way Zag did.

He could take on eons of thinking just about this one man, but a noise cut his thought short. Nyx rounded the corner, her calm eyes meeting Zagreus'.

"You have returned." She said, her voice echoing in the halls as her expression seemed to change. Shining yellow orbs scanned Zagreus with worry, her arms embracing him and picking him up carefully.

She was not his mother, that he came to know not long ago and even though they all had lied to him all his life, he had no means in pushing her away.

He was carried to his chamber and onto his bed. He rarely slept, but he knew he needed rest. If it was only for now.

-

And again he went off to reach the top. Sword in a tight grip he managed to fight a long way, but soon enough his powers grew weary. How many times has he gone this way now? How many times did he fight Meg, the Bone Hydra and so on?

It was bound to happen that he lost count and he should have known that his body still had a word to speak in that matter. But that was not stopping him. He had people to fight for.

He entered another chamber, circles on the floor glowing with enemies already emerging from them.

"Here we go."

He dashed to the side, striking with his sword once, twice, three times. One down and many more to go. More enemies fell to his feet, already starting to stack and Zagreus had no idea how many more were to come, but there was no sign of it stopping any time soon.

He was running out of breath and strength, but he did not want to give up. He had to keep going. _He had to_.

It seemed like a pattern of him returning home after his enemies managed to surround him, he tried keeping distance, but considering his current condition it was getting harder and harder.

Dodging right he did not see one moving with him and taking it's chance to strike toward him.

A bell rang in his ears, a blueish green flash and Thanatos was standing in front of him, blocking the enemy's attack that definitely would have hit him. Fatal at that.

Thanatos looked over his shoulder, his expression dropping immediately. Zagreus was in bad shape, shaking and blood was dripping from his robes. Thanatos was not sure if it was his own.

Zagreus was caught off guard by the, again, sudden entrance, but managed to fight back, turning as his back collided with Thanatos'.

Moving in unison the fight was over quickly and Zagreus came to rest on the floor against a stone wall. His breath was going quick and harsh, sharp breaths between his teeth. He knew he was close to returning home again. No doubt about that.

"Zag.." Thanatos' voice echoed in his head as the man knelt next to him. He sounded different. Truly, it was his voice, though it did not have the usual monotone ring to it. There was worry and uncertainty.

"Very good to see you, Than." Zagreus spoke smiling, his eyes glinting up at the other. He watched Thanatos shake his head.

"Good to see you too."

There was a moment of silence, enough for Zag to catch his breath. He was starting to feel his legs again.

"Zagreus."

"Hm?"

It took Thanatos a moment to continue, it looked like he was searching for the right thing to say. The prince has never seen him like this, so full of expression. Suddenly he seemed like a whole different person.

"You ever feel like giving up?"

He did, many times even. But he never will, because there is so much to fight for. With every time returning to the Pool of Styx he only grew stronger. Sure he may have reached his current limit here, but this only meant that there was more room to expand his strength. No matter how hard the fights will get or how many times he has to walk these chambers, he will never give up.

Zagreus huffed a laugh.

"Heh. All the time. But... then I remember I have you, and then everything seems like it will be okay."

It made the prince nervous saying these words, hoping Thanatos would recieve them in the way they were meant.

Again there was silence and Zagreus had a hard time trying to read Than's expression, so he spoke up again.

"Look, if you don't feel the same way about me, I would rather know-"

"I did not say anything like that." Thanatos' quick words cut him off before he moved closer, his finger lifting up Zagreus' chin carefully. Heat was rising in the prince's body, his eyes closing as one of his hands graced Thanatos' neck.

But nothing happened.

Zagreus opened his eyes again. Their faces were only inches apart, Thanatos' breath gently ghosting over his skin.

"You know what will happen, Zagreus."

"I know, Than. If this is the price I have to pay, then so be it."

 _The Kiss of Death_. He knew that if their lips met, he would have to do it all over again. And that, _every time_ they kissed.

The hand in Thanatos' neck pulled him ever closer, their lips colliding with a longing both of them kept stored away for so long. Afraid to know what the other might feel, afraid to get their hearts broken and afraid of being exposed.

A smile sat on Zagreus' lips as the darkness started to engulf him.

_May the Pool of Styx claim the prince once again._


End file.
